COVID-19 Reopening 5.18.20

HOLY NAME OF JESUS CATHOLIC CHURCH
BEECH GROVE, IN
 
Our Road to Emmaus
As they approached the village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he was going on farther. But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
 
And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished from their sight.
 
Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and returned to Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”
 
Then the two recounted what had taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
                                                                        Luke 24:28-35
 
Brothers and Sisters:
May the Lord Jesus shelter you and protect you as we continue on this road – that leads us always back to His presence in the Eucharist.  I’ve been thinking a great deal about this road to Emmaus that these disciples of Jesus followed.  I’ve thought about how they learned and grew more passionately in their faith on this journey – even though they did not initially recognize Jesus.  I’ve thought about their generosity, and the way they invited Him into their home, and their desire to remain with Him.  Above all, I’ve thought about all of you – who have faithfully walked this road – through a pandemic, and the many people who have expressed so deeply their desire to encounter Jesus once again in the breaking of the bread.
 
As we prepare to re-open our Church and come together once again we will need to be particularly aware of what we will need to do for the safety and protection of one another and our families. 
 
The Archdiocese has determined that we may begin opening in phases.  Please remember that this is contingent upon Mayor Hogsett lifting the Stay at Home order for Marion County after June 1.  If this order is extended, we may be required to change the following plan.  At this point, Holy Name will begin the re-opening process as follows:
 
Phase 1: Beginning Saturday, May 16, the doors to the Church have been unlocked from 7:30 AM until 9:30 PM and Fr. Bob Robeson will begin Celebrating the Sacrament of Penance.  Confession times will be Saturday at 3:30 PM, Monday at 5:00 PM, Wednesday at 6:15 PM or by appointment.  They will be heard in the Franciscan Room (off the Narthex) to allow for proper social distancing, and penitents can go either face to face or behind a screen.
 
Phase 2: Beginning Wednesday, May 20, daily Mass will resume at regularly scheduled times, with the exception of one change to the daily Mass summer schedule, there will be no Tuesday morning Mass during the week until school begins in August. If attendance at daily Mass exceeds 25 people, we will have to determine a process for limiting daily Mass attendance to keep it below 25.
 
Phase 2B: We will begin outdoor drive-in Sunday Masses in the parking lot on Sunday, May 24.  There will be two (2) Masses on Sunday morning, at 9:30 AM and 11:30 AM Masses will be offered.  We are offering two Masses because of the limited parking space in our lot.  The plan is to broadcast the Mass through a local FM transmitter while parishioners remain in their cars.  For communion, Extraordinary Ministers will come around to each car to distribute communion.  We will continue to livestream this Mass on our Facebook page if possible.
 
Phase 3: the earliest it would be possible to resume Sunday Masses in the Church, considering the Marion County Stay at Home Order, would be June 6-7.  Once we open for Sunday Masses, we need to follow CDC guidelines and work together to address this epidemic.  We will continue to livestream this Mass on our Facebook page. Before we return to celebrating Sunday Mass inside the Church, we will send more detailed guidelines with regard to proper procedures necessary to help mitigate the spread of the virus.
 
Again, remember that Archbishop Thompson has declared that the faithful of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis are dispensed from the obligation to attend Sunday Mass until August 15, 2020.    Please, if you are concerned about the possibility of contracting the virus, or if you are not feeling well, stay home and make a spiritual communion.


God bless you all and Please know that you are in our prayers!
 
Fr. Bob Robeson, Pastor